Illuminating means



Feb. 27, 1962 s. SHAPIRO 3,023,

ILLUMINATING- MEANS Original Filed April 13, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 L AWRENGE S. SHAP/RU INVENTOR. BY %;14/ L/ 4tt0rney Feb. 27, 1962 Original Filed April 13, 1954 s. SHAPIRO ILLUMINATING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 LA WRENCE 5. SIM P/RO INVENTOR.

Feb. 27, 1962 s. SHAPIRO 3,023,305

ILLUMINATING MEANS Original Filed April 13, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 LAWRENGE S. SHAPIRO INVENTOK Attorney nited States Patent 3,023,305 ILLUMINATING MEANS Lawrence S. Shapiro, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Clowd, Inc., Arcadia, Califi, a corporation of California Original application Apr. 13, 1954, Ser. No. 422,734, now Patent No. 2,824,393, dated Feb. 25, 1958. Divided and this application Jan. 29, 1958, Ser. No. 711,956

4 Claims. (Cl. 240-2) This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 422,734, filed April 13, 1954, for Chart Holder for Aircraft, now Pat. No. 2,824,393, issued February 25, 1958, and relates generally to improved illuminating means, and is more particularly concerned with a swing mounted lamp and control therefor.

It is an object of the invention to provide illuminating means which includes a swingable lamp support which is readily operable to carry the lamp between operative and retracted positions.

A further object of the invention is to provide illuminating means having a movable lamp support which is pivotally connected to an object at one point and which is adapted to swing into a recess when moved into a retracted position.

It is a further object of the invention to provide illuminating means including a swingable lamp supporting arm having means for controlling the flow of electricity to the lamp or lamp elements which are carried by the lamp supporting arm. In the practice of the invention lamp globes are carried by the lamp supporting arm in multiplicate so that if one should burn out, another can be quickly brought into use. Also, the invention provides means of novel form for varying the strength of the electrical flow to the lamp means carried by the lamp supporting arm, whereby the intensity of the illumination emitted therefrom may be varied as conditions may require.

Further objects and advantages of the invention may be brought out in the following part of the specification wherein relatively small details of construction have been described for the purpose of disclosure, without the intention, however, of limiting the scope of the invention set forth in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings which are for illustrative purposes only:

I FIG. 1 is a face view of the invention located above the instrument board in the cockpit of an aircraft;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the chart holding device, to enlarged scale taken from the position indicated by the arrow 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the' line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view, to enlarged scale of the chart holding device, with the lamp holder retracted into its recess and with the chart receiving table lying substantially fiat in the plane of the arms which support the table;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as in-' dicated by the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a perspective, exploded view looking toward a portion of FIG. 4 as indicated by the arrow 6 of FIG. 4, and showing switch and rheostat parts contained within the chambered end of the lamp supporting arm.

In FIG. 1, I show a portion of the instrument panel 10 of an airplane cockpit with a portion of the front Window 11 thereabove, Although the present invention is susceptible of general use, it is particularly useful in connection with aircraft chart holders and the like, and' has been described herein as being embodied in' such a" device.

A chart holding device- 12' embodying the" snzsaos' Patented Feb. 27, 1962 invention is disclosed as being positioned at or adjacent the upper edge of the instrument panel 10 where it will be near to the line of vision of the pilot and/or of the copilot when such line of vision extends forwardly throughv the window 11 as is preferable during the aircraft flight. The chart holding device 12 has a plate or table 13 of generally rectangular form adapted to receive thereon sheets or cards or maps, or the like, providing information which is readily perceived by the pilot as the flight progresses, thereby relieving the pilot of the necessity of trying to remember details of a planned flight.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the chart holding device comprises a bracket 14 having a plate portion 15 adapted to be secured to a supporting member or wall in the aircraft, and spaced tongues or ears 16 which project forwardly in vertical planes from the ends of the plates 14. A bifurcated support 17 is hingedly connected to the tongues 16 of the bracket 14 so that it may be swung upwardly or downwardly around the hinge axis aa. The supporting member 17 includes a transverse bar 18 with arms 19 and 20 extending from the ends thereof in parallel relation. At one end of the bar 18 there is a slot 21 to receive one of the tongues 16 of the bracket 14, and a pin 22, supported by the bar 18, extends through the tongue 16 to provide a hinge connection. At the opposite end of the bar 18 there is a slot 23 to receive the remaining tongue 16, and as shown in FIG. 5, a clamping screw 24 extends through an opening 25 in the tongue 16, this screw 24 lying on the axis a-a. The screw 24 has a threaded portion 26 which enters a correspondingly threaded opening 27 in the wall portion 28 of the bar 18 defining one side of the slot 23. The screw 24 has an axially elongated head portion 29 which extends through a counterbored opening in the wall portion 31 of the bar 18 on the opposite side of the slot 23 from the wall portion 28. An operating handle 32 is fixed on the outer end of the head 29 and a compression spring 33 is disposed in the counterbored portion 34 of the opening 25 to constantly apply a friction which will prevent free rotation of the handle relative to the supporting member 17. Friction washers 35 are disposed between the wall portion 28 and the adjacent tongue 16, and the screw head 29 has a radial shoulder 36 which bears directly against the rightward face of the tongue 16.

The table 13 is detachably connected to the ends of the arms 19 and 20. This table, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, has a frame 37 defining a rectangle. The frame 37 has a longitudinal portion 38 and side portions 39 extending perpendicularly from the ends of the portion 38. A slender bar 40 is extended between the extremities 41 of the side portions 39 and lies within the U-shaped bend 42 between plate portions 43 and 44 of a metal plate 45 which has been bent on a transverse line intermediate the ends thereof to bring the plate portions 43 and 44 into nearly parallel relation. Flanges or lips 46 and 47 respectively indicated by the numerals 46a, 46b, 47a and 47b extend inwardly from the edges of the frame portions 38 and 39. The plate portions 43 lie within the frame 37 and spring tension acting in the metal of the bend 42 and of the plates 43 and 44 urges the plates 43 and 44 respectively outwardly into engage ment with the inner surfaces of the flanges or clips 46 and 47. The plates 43 and 44 provide upper and lower surfaces for the table 13, and the designation of these plates 43 and 44' as upper and lower depends upon the position in which the table 13 has been rotated. With the table 13 positioned as shown in FIG. 4 the plate 43 may be designated as the upper plate of the table, but if the table 13 is rotated through an angle of substantially the plate 44 will be disposed uppermost.

The side portions 39 of the frame 37 have aligned trunnion members 48 and 48' projecting therefrom so as to pivotally connect the table 13 to the enlarged ends 50a and 50b of the arms 19 and 20. The enlargements 56a and 50b, as shown in FIG. 4, have circular cover plates 54a and 54b thereon.

Referring to FIG. 6, the plate 54a has a pin 64 projecting therefrom. On this pin 64, a lamp supporting arm 65 is rotatably mounted so that it may be swung between a retracted position as shown in FIG. 4, parallel to the arm 19, to a raised position as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bar 18 of the support 17 has an upwardly faced recess 66 to receive a lamp housing 67, of tubular form, which extends from the end 68 of the arm 65. When the lamp housing 67 is in retracted position as shown in FIG. 4, it will lie in the recess 66 and the arm 65 will be parallel to the arm 19. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the lamp housing 67 has a windowed shell 69 arranged to hold lamps 70 and 71 in axial relation. On the shell 69 a tubular cover 72 is mounted, this cover having therein a slot or window 73 through which light from either of the lamps 7t and 71 may shine onto the table 13 or sheets which are held on this table. The cover 72 may be rotated axially so as to adjust the position of the window 73 with relation to the lamps 70 and 71. It is contemplated that the lamps 7 and '71 shall be of two different colors, for example, white and red, and switch means 74 is provided in the arm 65, operable by a button 75 for selectively connecting these lamps into an electric circuit.

As shown in FIG. 6, the arm 65 has a channel 76 leading to a hollow cylinder 77 which is open at its outer end and has at its inner end a wall 78 arranged to lie against the front face of a disc 78' of insulating material surrounding the pin 64 adjacent the plate 54a, there being an opening 79 in the center of the wall 78 through which the pin 64 projects. A cylindrical resistance winding 80 is fixed in the cylinder 77, and in the order shown, the following parts are arranged upon the pin 64. A spring 81 is disposed against the inner surface of the wall 78. The spring 81 is surrounded by a cylindrical insulator body 82 fixed within the resistance winding 80 and having a spring pressed contact pin 82a which extends through an opening 83 in the wall 78 to engage either the bottom wall 84 of an annular recess in the disc 78 or an arcuate contact plate 86 disposed in the upper portion of the annular recess in the disc 78', when the arm 65 is rotated around the pin 64. A circular con tact plate 85 is secured to the front face of the body 82, this plate 85 being connected through a spring 82b with the contact pin 82a which in turn connects the plate 85 to the contact plate 86 when the arm 65 is rotated upwardly from the position in which it is shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 to carry the pin 82a up onto the front end of the contact plate 86. A nut 87 is threaded upon the pin 64 and is arranged to compress the spring 81 to vary the frictional engagement between the disc 78' and the wall 78. The insulator body 82 has an opening 88 to receive the spring 81 and the nut 87. A screw 92, which threads into the end of the pin 64, clamps against the end of the screw 64 a bushing 93 adapted to extend through an opening 89 in a disc or adjusting wheel 90 (see FIGS. 1 and 4) arranged to confront and close the open end of the cylinder 77. The channel 76 is closed by a separate strip 91 of insulating material. The wheel 90 carries on the inner face thereof a circular spring contact member 94 having a contact part 95 which rests against the radial surface of the contact plate 85, and a contact part 96 positioned so that it will bear against the circular end 97 of the resistance winding 80.

The arm 65, which is made of metal, is grounded and a live connection 99 extends into the periphery of the disc 78 and is connected to the contact plate 86. A conductor 106 is connected to the resistance winding 80 and extends through the channel 76 of the arm 65 to the switch 74 which has the function of connecting the circuit selectively to the lamps 70 and 71. When the arm 65 is raised from its retracted position, the contact 82a will move in clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 6 into engagement with the contact plate 86. This will close the lamp circuit and the electrical current will flow from the contact plate 86 to the contact part and then through the contact parts 82a, 82b, 85, 95, 94 and 96 to the resistance winding 80. By rotating the disk or wheel 90, the contact part 96 may be caused to slide along the curved edge or end 97 of the winding 80, thereby varying the resistance placed in the lamp circuit by the winding 80, to adjust the brightness of whichever lamp 70 or 71 may be brought into the lamp circuit by the actuation of the switch 74.

In the use of the chart holding device, papers or cards, either singly or in stacks are secured on the plates 43 and 44 of the table 13 by the simple expedient of depressing an edge portion of a plate 43 or 44 slipping the paper or papers under a flange or clip 46 or 47. Papers or cards of different size and shape may be readily secured on the table, both on the top and on the bottom thereof, and the table may be rotated on the axis of the rotatable bodies 49 as required. Also, it is possible to wrap or extend around the bend 42, from one to the other of the plates 43 and 44, a sheet which is such length to require this procedure.

Referring to FIG. 1, the supporting of the table 13 and the arm 65 is such that with a single operation of one hand the pilot may swing the lamp housing 67 rearwardly and downwardly into the recess 66 and also rotate the upper edge of the table 13, FIG. 1, rearwardly and downwardly so that the table 13 will assume a flat position between the arms 19 and 20, as shown in FIG. 4. In these retracted positions, the lamp housing 67 and the table 13 will not obstruct the vision of the pilot through the lower portion of the window 11.

I claim:

I. An illuminating device, comprising: a supporting member having at the rear end thereof mounting means for attaching it to a supporting wall, and adjacent said mounting means a channel open at one end; a hinge pin projecting from a side edge of said supporting member in spaced relation to said open end of said channel; a lamp holder resting in said channel, one end thereof being disposed contiguous to said open end of said channel; an arm extending along said side edge, one end of said arm being connected to said lamp holder and the other end thereof being connected with said hinge pin so that upon swinging of said arm on the hinge pin said lamp holder is moved from said channel to carry a lamp therein into a position of use spaced outwardly from said supporting member; an electric lamp circuit electrically connected to said lamp holder, said circuit including a first switch contact carried by said hinge pin and a second switch contact supported on said arm for movement therewith and being engageable with said first contact to energize said circuit as said arm is swung so as to raise said lamp holder from said channel; an arcuate resistance element; means supporting said resistance element surrounding the axis of said pin; a slide contact supported for sliding engagement with said element, said resistance element and associated contact being electrically connected in series in said lamp circuit; a rotatably supported knob surrounding the axis of said pin; and means connecting said slide contact to said knob so that by rotation of said knob said slide contact may be moved along said resistance element to vary the current flow in said circuit.

2. An illuminating device, comprising: a supporting member having at the rear end thereof mounting means for attaching it to a supporting wall, and adjacent said mounting means a channel open at one end; a hinge pin projecting from a side edge of said supporting member in spaced relation to said open end of said channel; a

lamp holder resting in said channel, one end thereof being disposed contiguous to said open end of said channel; an arm extending along said side edge, one end of said arm being connected to said lamp holder and the other end thereof being connected with said hinge pin so that upon swinging of said arm on the hinge pin said lamp holder is moved from said channel to carry a lamp therein into a position of use spaced outwardly from said supporting member; an electric energizing circuit for said lamp electrically connected to said lamp holder; switch means in said circuit for controlling said circuit including cooperably associated contacts supported for movement to engaged and disengaged positions; means connecting one of said contacts with said arm and the other of said contacts to said supporting member, whereby said contacts are moved to engaged position in response to swinging of said arm to move said lamp holder out of said socket to close said energizing circuit so that the lamp carried by said lamp holder will be illuminated; a resistance element; means supporting said resistance element so as to extend in an are around the axis of said pin; a slide contact engaging said element, said resistance element and associated contact being electrically connected in series in said energizing circuit; a rotatable knob surrounding the axis of said pin; and means connecting said slide contact to said knob so that by rotation of said knob said slide contact may be moved along said resistance element to vary the current flow in said circuit.

3. An illuminating device, comprising: a fiat supporting member having at the rear end thereof mounting means for attaching it to a supporting wall, and adjacent said mounting means a channel open at one end; a hinge pin projecting from a side edge of said supporting member in spaced relation to said open end of said channel; a lamp holder resting in said channel, one end thereof being disposed contiguous to said open end of said channel; an arm extending along said side edge, one end of said arm being connected to said lamp holder and the other end thereof being connected with said hinge pin so that upon swinging of said arm said lamp holder is moved from said channel to carry a lamp therein into a position of use spaced outwardly from said supporting member; an electric lamp circuit for said lamp electrically connected to said lamp holder; switch means in said circuit for controlling the flow of electric current therethrough; a resistance element; means supporting said resistance element so as to extend in an are around the axis of said pin; a slide contact engaging said element, said resistance element and associated contact being electrically connected in series in said lamp circuit; a rotatable knob surrounding the axis of said pin; and means connecting said slide contact to said knob so that by rotation of said knob said slide contact may be moved along said resistance element to vary the current flow in said circuit.

4. An illuminating device, comprising: a flat supporting member having at the rear end thereof mounting means for attaching it to a supporting Wall, and adjacent said mounting means an upwardly faced cavity; a hinge pin projecting from a side edge of said supporting member in spaced relation to said open end of said cavity; a lamp holder resting in said cavity, oneend thereof being disposed contiguous to said open end of said cavity; an arm extending along said side edge, one end of said arm being connected to said lamp holder and the other end thereof being connected with said hinge pin so that upon swinging of said arm on the hinge pin said lamp holder is moved from said cavity to carry a lamp therein into a position of use spaced outwardly from said supporting member; an electric lamp circuit electrically connected to said lamp holder including a first switch contact carried by said hinge pin and a second switch contact supported on said arm for movement therewith and being engageable with said first contact to energize said lamp circuit as said arm is swung so as to raise said lamp holder from said cavity; a resistance element; means supporting said resistance element so as to extend in an are around the axis of said pin; a slide contact engaging said element, said resistance element and associated contact being electrically connected in series in said lamp circuit; a rotatable knob surrounding the axis of said pin; and means connecting said slide contact to said knob so that by rotation of said knob said slide contact may be moved along said resistance element to vary the current flow in said circuit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,607,752 Higdon Nov. 23, 1926 1,609,418 Nechamkin et al. Dec. 7, 1926 1,773,337 Barlow Aug. 19, 1930 2,468,640 Santilli Apr. 26, 1949 2,561,744 Langdon et al. July 24, 1951 2,716,700 La France Aug. 30, 1955 2,729,908 Miller Jan. 10, 1956 2,749,430 Cohn June 5, 1956 2,824,393 Shapiro Feb. 25, 1958 2,874,269 Greenlee Feb. 17, 1959 

